


Delayed Reaction

by Star_River



Category: Touhou Project
Genre: Blood and Injury, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, vague backstory i guess, wakasagihime crying a lot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-24
Updated: 2015-12-24
Packaged: 2018-05-09 02:04:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,385
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5521418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Star_River/pseuds/Star_River
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Wakasagihime tends to Kagerou's wounds after Kagerou saves her from an attack.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Delayed Reaction

**Author's Note:**

> I kind of rushed this, but a lot of people seemed to like it, so I might as well post it here.  
> There aren't nearly enough fics of this pairing out there.

Kagerou glanced over her shoulder, nervously fidgeting. “Hey… Is this going to hurt?” **  
**

She was met with a moment’s uncomfortable silence, but of course, soon heard her companion’s familiar giggle. Still, her reply was painfully wordless. Who could blame her, though, given the circumstances? What had just occurred left them both speechless and shaken.

“…I’ll take that as a sorry ‘yes,’ then,” Kagerou chuckled as she turned back around to face the lake’s surface. The ripples that formed, reflecting the light of a full moon looming ahead, became an excruciating reminder of her current state, and she longed to turn away once more. She gripped tight on her blouse, somewhat self conscious about having to cover her chest with it–but frankly, that was the least of her concerns. 

Wakasagihime laughed again, though rather wistfully this time. She continued to dodge the topic at hand while dipping a washcloth in some fresh water, allowing it to absorb the cool temperature, wringing out any uncomfortable amount of excess. Of course she was grateful for her life, but knowing that she and someone who she held dear had been in such peril rendered her speechless.

Kagerou sighed, realizing the sort of atmosphere she had created. “Hime… Look, I’m still really sorry–”

“I-It’s fine, really–” Wakasagihime stammered. “Please, just… Hold still…”

She continued to delicately wring the washcloth, preparing to wipe the blood from Kagerou’s wounded back. Kagerou, meanwhile, was restless. With each passing moment she yearned to say so much more, but kept her mouth shut, doubting it would be worth much at all.

After a few tense moments, she sighed. “I just… I just want to protect you, Hime. I don’t know what I’d ever do if I–”

She suddenly cut herself off, crying out at the pain in her back, and jerked away from Wakasagihime’s gentle touch. The mermaid rapidly blubbered out an apology. “I-I’m sorry, I should have warned you in advance! Does it really hurt that much?”

“Y… Yeah,” Kagerou admitted, her ears drooping meekly. She then shook her head, smiling through gritted teeth. “Don’t sweat it, though. I don’t want it to get infected or anything, so…”

Wakasagihime silently nodded and dipped the cloth in the water again. As she wrung the water from it yet again, she mumbled, “…You didn’t have to go as far as physically attacking them, you know.”

“I don’t want anyone to hurt you. I’d rather teach them a lesson and be the one to be hurt like this than watch you suffer,” Kagerou argued.

Wakasagihime frowned. Kagerou really wasn’t going to tone down the possessiveness, was she? “Alright, hold still.”

Kagerou braced herself for another onset of pain. This time, however, although it stung deeply at first, Kagerou was soothed by the cool temperature of the cloth, her ears even perking up somewhat. Wakasagihime was gingerly cleaning her wound in the least irritating manner possible.

Nevertheless, despite her delicacy, Wakasagihime could not help but worry. “Is it okay? Does it still hurt? Should I stop?”

“No, it's… Actually really nice,” Kagerou replied, contented by Wakasagihime’s genuine care. “Thank you.”

A few moments of silence passed, the only audible sounds being that of Kagerou’s steady breathing and the rustling of the trees in the wind. Wakasagihime, on the other hand, was still in a state of discomfort, wordlessly watching as her cloth turned red with Kagerou’s blood. Knowing how much danger Kagerou had been subjected to was beginning to gradually bring tears to her eyes. Sniffling, her voice wobbly, she whispered, “I… I don’t want to lose you either, Kagerou…”

Kagerou could tell by the sound of Wakasagihime’s voice that she was on the verge of crying, but couldn’t bring herself to face her in such a situation, afraid her own heart would break upon sight of her beloved in shambles. “I know… I’m sorry, Hime. I really am. I shouldn’t have been so careless.”

“Those people who attacked me might come after you now… They might be mad…”

“No, I think I scared them pretty badly, especially since I had the moon on my side,” Kagerou assured. “Did you hear that one guy screaming like a little girl? And I was holding back, but if I punched that guy just a little harder, he probably would have flown right across the lake!”

Wakasagihime lowered the cloth, and lowered her head. “…I just don’t want you getting into so much trouble on my behalf…”

“Again, I’ll try my best to be more careful from here on out.”

“That’s not it, though–” Wakasagihime blurted, becoming increasingly frustrated. “I know I was in danger, and I know I cried your name, and I know that I wanted you to help me, I just didn’t think you’d get hurt in the midst of all of it! Knowing that you easily could have been killed, I feel like such a burden, and… And…”

Kagerou narrowed her eyebrows. This was painful. Wakasagihime was clearly upset by something, if not everything about the entire ordeal, and she hadn’t a clue what to say in response.

“Kagerou, I…” Wakasagihime shivered as she buried her face in her hands. “I… I’m the one who should be sorry… I was foolish enough to get myself in that kind of danger in the first place, you shouldn’t have gotten hurt because of my mistakes…”

This was enough to prompt Kagerou to finally turn and actually face Wakasagihime to have this conversation. She inhaled deeply, praying she wouldn’t be overwhelmed with too many emotions, and glanced over her shoulder once again. “Hime, no, that’s not–”

Whatever it was she wanted to say became immediately stuck in her throat upon sight of her. She knew she shouldn’t have turned around.

Wakasagihime was sobbing and sniveling, breathing shakily while her fish half flopped about in distress. Her hair was in a tangled disarray, and her once elegant emerald dress had been torn in several places from having been attacked. Kagerou was still incredibly relieved to notice yet again that Wakasagihime hadn’t suffered a single scratch, but somehow, this pained her just as much as something of the sort would have.

Kagerou slowly scooted herself closer. “It’s okay. I’m here,” she softly reassured, reaching for her shoulder. “I’m okay. You don’t have to worry about anything.”

“But, still–!” Wakasagihime protested in between her whimpers. “You’re hurt because of me!”

Kagerou decided it would be best to wrap her arms around Wakasagihime’s small body in a snug, warm embrace. Quietly, tenderly, she held her as tears endlessly poured from her eyes and onto her shoulder. All the while, Wakasagihime trembled as the shock from the event finally struck her. She sobbed Kagerou’s name over and over again, and flung her own arms around her, never wanting to let go.

“Shh…” Kagerou murmured, stroking up and down Wakasagihime’s back. “The people who attacked you were the ones who hurt me. It wasn’t you. It’s not your fault.”

Wakasagihime momentarily opened her mouth to object, but Kagerou’s grip tightened, and another flood of tears drowned out all else. For the time being, she decided, she would savor being within her comfortable grasp as best she could.

At one point or another, Wakasagihime swore she could feel tears staining her own shoulder as well.

Even when her shudders calmed into normal breathing once more, and her face was no longer so red, she continued to cling to Kagerou, feeling quite protective herself. She wouldn’t trade anything in the world for knowing that the person she loved so much was safe and sound. At last, it seemed she had found solace.

When they then faced each other, the affection of the moment urged Wakasagihime to press her lips to Kagerou’s. She reached up and tangled her fingers in her long, thick hair, feeling as she responded with the gentle pressure of her own mouth. Kagerou snaked her hands around her waist, enjoying the softness of her lips enough to give her another kiss. Things truly had changed from melancholy to passionate within such a short span of time.

They giggled together upon parting, and their tears were far behind them. Now, all that was left to do was clean up the rest of Kagerou’s wounds, and possibly, just maybe, cuddle for a good hour or so.


End file.
